Departure
by Erimthar
Summary: A new start for Elle and Claire after the events of "The Eclipse" and "Our Father."


**Departure**

_**Note:**__ This episode takes place after the "The Eclipse" episode of season 3, and contains spoilers for that episode and "Our Father". This story differs from official continuity.  
_

*****

The Mulligan Man, they called him.

"One extra shot at life, and only one," he'd said to Claire in the coffee house in Encinitas. "Won't work on anyone who's died of old age. Won't work on anyone who's been dead longer than two full moons. No, I don't know why. Two million up front, no questions asked."

_In this business, contacts are just as important as powers_, Claire's father had told her when she'd gone on her "secret agent" kick not long ago. _Make a note of every person who might possibly be of use to you, now or in the future. And while you're at it, make a note of everyone who might _not_ be useful, too._

That advice, and the Company's database, had led her to the Mulligan Man. Another contact, in New Orleans, had taken care of the money.

("Three million bucks," Micah had said. "I know the Company are a bunch of scumbags, but they're gonna be ticked-off scumbags when they find out."

"Watch me not care," Claire had replied.)

The Mulligan Man needed a body part... something containing DNA. Claire had reached into her purse and pulled out a handkerchief containing a nicely manicured fingertip.

Collecting that fingertip hadn't been as hard as Claire had thought it would be. Hiro had a worse time dealing with it—he'd retched in the sand behind her as Claire sifted around in the still-smoking mess and located what she'd needed. What they'd found there on the beach hadn't surprised Claire much at all. But that hadn't prevented a few quiet tears from falling.

*****

Claire held Elle's hand as the older girl lay, still sleeping, in the hospital bed. It took a while for the brain synapses to regenerate completely, the Mulligan Man had told her. She'd sleep for hours, and be groggy for a long while afterwards.

When Elle finally gasped and snapped her eyes open, Claire braced herself for the sudden panicky blast of electricity. But it didn't come. Only a small, reflexive trickle of current that quickly subsided.

Elle looked up at her like someone trying to read the bottom line on an eye chart.

"Claire," she said. "You ready to come along quietly now, or do I have to get rough?"

Claire noticed Elle didn't pull her hand away.

"Welcome back, Elle."

"Where've I been?" Elle cast her bleary gaze all over the private hospital room Claire had paid for. "I was with Gabriel on the beach... that weird little guy with the glasses..."

"You were dead," Claire told her flatly. No point in trying to soften things. "I had someone bring you back."

Elle had already looked like she'd been hit by a ton of bricks. Now a second ton, on top of that, fell on her.

She stared up at Claire for a long while. "Why?" she finally asked.

"Because I care about you."

The third ton arrived. Elle's voice was very soft now. "Which brings us back to.... _why_?"

Elle's hand was gripping Claire's tightly. It was trembling.

"As much as you hate to think it, Elle, there's not that much difference between us. We were both Company projects... born to be tools, not people. Born to be _used_."

Elle closed her eyes as Claire continued. "We went different ways. You had a father who was there for you. And he tortured you, and manipulated you, and made you hate him almost as much as you hated yourself. I had a father who did love me, but was never there for me."

"You still got the better end of the deal," said Elle.

"Yes, I did," Claire agreed. "That's why you hated me."

Elle didn't reply.

"I hated you, too," said Claire. "Because of the things you did and the person I thought you were. Until that plane trip to Pinehearst."

Elle looked up at her, her eyes focusing for the first time.

"You closed the circuit," she said.

"What?"

"My power. It was out of control, and it hurt me and it scared me. Until you held me and let me release it into you. You closed the circuit, and everything was all right again. For a little while."

Claire was surprised to see tears in Elle's eyes. She wondered if maybe she should reach over and wipe them away. But then Elle seemed to take hold of herself angrily.

"Gabriel," she said bitterly. "We were there on the beach... and the day was just getting weirder and weirder. He loved me, Claire. When we lost our powers, he loved me. And there on the beach, I thought he was loving me. And... and then he was hurting me."

Claire sighed. "That's been kind of the problem, hasn't it? Everyone who was supposed to love you has hurt you instead."

Elle looked up at Claire for a long while. "Help me, Claire?" she asked. And then came the tears, uncontrollable this time. "I messed up so bad..."

Claire put her arms around the sobbing girl.

"Oh God, I shot you." Elle sounded so miserable. "I didn't mean to. I only volunteered to go with Gabriel because I wanted to make sure you'd be all right. And I shot you. And we didn't have our powers..."

"I know you didn't mean it, Elle. It's okay. I had a little fever for a while, but I got better."

"I'm so sorry," wept Elle. "I wish I could get better like you."

"It's gonna be okay," Claire whispered. "We're going to start over now. Both of us. I have some money... I've got a place set up in the mountains. We'll go there, and we'll rest, and we'll talk."

"But don't run away from me this time, okay? Don't go running into any more buildings where they throw people out of windows."

Elle gave a little gasp of laughter as the tears finally wore themselves out.

Claire held her for a while longer. "I have to go make some arrangements," she said at last. "You'll be safe here. I'll be back tonight, and by tomorrow morning we should be ready to go."

Claire arranged Elle's pillows for her and made a quick scan to see that everything was okay, before she headed for the door.

"Claire?" came Elle's voice behind her.

"Yes, Elle?"

"I think maybe I love you just a little bit."

Claire turned to look at her. "Well, you know all about little sparks and what can come from them."

Elle smiled. "Don't hurt me. Okay, Claire?"

Claire smiled back. "Don't let me. Okay, Elle?" And she was out the door.

Elle looked out the window for a while, then settled back into her pillows. _I wonder what being alive is going to feel like_, she thought before sleep claimed her.


End file.
